


Stardust and Dragon Scales

by Cloevoyant



Category: Achievement Hunter, Fake AH crew - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Gen, technically also a Kings au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-16
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-05-07 19:06:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14677538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cloevoyant/pseuds/Cloevoyant
Summary: The Jones family had held the crown over Achieveland for many years. The latest king, King Vincent, fell ill when his son was only 12, so the king's brother, Prince Jared, needed to take over until Michael, the rightful heir, could step up. However, the newly crowned King had other plans; executing the queen and exiling the young prince after framing them for treason against the late King Vincent. Despite the boy's protests, Michael was still tossed out of his own kingdom after watching his mother die. In the forest outside his kingdom, he met one Geoff Ramsey, the only man that would believe a seemingly impossible story.Based on an AU found here; https://fahcheadcanons.tumblr.com/post/173850176698/medievalmagic-fahc-au (but seriously the entire blog is great)





	1. Credits

Okay, so, a few things:  
        - This is going to posted in multiple places, but the Quotev version will  _ **always**_  be updated first. It's what I'm most comfortable with, since I'm still learning Archive Of Our Own's layout, and Tumblr is just a whole other beast when it comes to fics. So if you want to be ahead of the game, favorite this on Quotev and check out my profile! Otherwise, I'll see you here. Thanks for reading!  
        - I've only recently gotten back into writing regularly, so forgive me if a few places seem rushed or out of place; in fact, feel free to call them out! Help me improve! I welcome criticism, and I'm more than willing to edit my writing regularly to fix anything.   
        - Feel free to contact me in other places! My Twitter is @kingpinvagabond and my personal tumblr is triforcechampion. I suggest Twitter for more pressing things, but if you find that I'm not responding quick enough there, contact me through Discord! Cloe (TriforceChampionCloe)#1879 is my tag, but because of the space, Discord has some trouble finding me, so I apologize in advance if that doesn't work; Twitter should notify me if you're trying to contact me, as long as you follow me first <3  
  


Now onto the  _actual_  credits!  
        - This fic is inspired by [this](https://fahcheadcanons.tumblr.com/post/173850176698/medievalmagic-fahc-au) text post (it's also in the description if the link doesn't work for one reason or another), a headcanon made by tumblr user fahcheadcanons. The blog is amazing, if you do tumblr at all and are a fan of the Fake AH Crew (which you should be, if you're reading this!), please follow that blog if you don't already.   
        - Names used in this fic that aren't directly based on the already existing characters are entirely fictional and hold no resemblance to anyone's friends or family. The only names that you should recognize are the Main 6 + Ray. The rest are entirely made up characters that I created myself for the purposes of this fic.   
        - Special thanks to my best friend Ali for reigniting my want to write, and showing me just how much I really love the entirety of Achievement Hunter; without her, I'm not sure where I'd be today.


	2. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the chapter numbers not coinciding with the *actual* chapter numbers, but what can ya do?

        Geoff couldn't believe what he was hearing. Had it even happened? Could he possibly be under some spell? He had half a mind to go back and find Ryan just to ask if there was any magic happening near by, but decided against it; the torches and pitchforks marching through the street were enough to confirm it for him. And the sight made him sick.   
        Barely able to hold his head up, Prince Michael was being carried at the front of the crowd, his nose and mouth bleeding and one eye swollen almost completely shut. Not that either were open to begin with, but occasionally Geoff could see a flash of red as the boy glanced around, the brown of his eyes tinged in the firelight. The poor kid was being exiled, and the state the boy was in would absolutely mean his death once the kingdom's gates were closed.   
        He was only a boy, royal blood or not. Geoff couldn't just let him die; it went against everything his conscience was screaming. He backed down an ally as the angry mob marched by, and made his way to one of the merchant paths. Hoping he made it on time, Geoff left the walls of the kingdom and made his way toward the gates he knew the poor prince would be dumped out of.  
        Sure enough, as soon as he entered the treeline, he saw first the red curls, then the bloodied face of Prince Michael. Picking him up, Geoff carried the boy back to the camp where he'd left Ryan. During his walk, the man thought about how he was gonna explain to the wizard what he was doing with a banished prince; the same son to the now dead King that had banished Ryan a mere decade ago for being a wizard.  
  
 

* * *

  
  
        "You are aware I don't have access to healing magic, right Geoff?"  
        "I didn't bring him here for you to heal him, I brought him here just to make sure he didn't die. His injuries are far from fatal, what would've killed him was the wildlife in this godforsaken forest. He'll be fine in a few weeks when the bruises heal.  _You_ just have to actually  _let him live long enough_."  
        "I don't kill kids, Geoff. Besides, it was his father, not him, who banished me. I'm evil, not cruel."  
        Geoff just rolled his eyes at his companion's choice of words; he knew damn well Ryan was in fact neither of those things, but he didn't push the subject further. He was satisfied with the response he'd gotten from the wizard. Still, Geoff stayed watch over the boy, keeping a cloth soaked in stream water over the kid's eye to try and reduce the swelling.  
  
        The next morning, Geoff was awoken by yelling and what he could only describe as snickering. He knew the snicker came from Ryan, and immediately Geoff sat up in his cot and flew out of the room, an arrow in hand to defend himself and possibly the boy if need be.   
        "Calm down, boy, I have no intention of harming you."  
        "You're a wizard! A magic user! Your kind is forbidden around here! My father would've banished you-"  
        "Trust me, kid, he already did. You were barely old enough to walk when your father had my wife and child executed in front of me, and would've had my head too if I hadn't gone mad with power just then. If you were wondering why some of your guard seemed younger than they should've been, you can thank me killing over-"  
        "Ryan, that is enough. He's already been exiled, you don't need to scare him further." Geoff finally spoke up, and Michael looked over at him with his one good eye.  
        "You! I know you! Ramsey, the renowned thief! What in the actual hell is going on here?!"  
        "How much of yesterday do you remember, kid?"  
        Geoff set his arrow down as the kid recounted what he could, trailing off when he got to watching the queen, his mother, be beheaded.   
        "After that, I don't remember much. Flashes of fire, the kingdom yelling and chanting, "Long live King Jared," and then I remember thinking I'd be with her soon as I looked at the stars. Next thing I know, I'm in here with you two."  
        Geoff nodded thoughtfully, his fingers running over his facial hair before he took a deep breath and sat so he was level with the kid.  
        "Well, Prince Michael, you have a choice. You don't have to answer right now, you have plenty of time to think and answer, since Ryan and I won't be leaving here for a few more days. But ultimately, your choices are go out on your own and try to clear your name by yourself, or stick with us and have us help you. You're welcome to stay here until you make your decision."  
  
 

* * *

  
  


        He was 16 when he almost died - again. Good for nothing bandits and their poisoned weapons. Ryan did what he could to extract the excess poison, but Michael still had plenty in his blood stream; thankfully, it wasn't immediately fatal, but the wizard could practically feel the boy's life force weakening. It was the dead of winter too, so the healing winds of spring weren't even on their side.   
        Despite his injury, the stubborn kid still insisted on pressing forward; he didn't want to hold him and Geoff back, after all. They had so much to do still! Proof to gather, renown to reclaim, evil to vanquish! And while Geoff tried to reason with the boy, Ryan just rolled his eyes and walked forward; there was no point in trying to talk the stubborn prince out of a thought he had once he had it. That was something the wizard had learned in the early days of them traveling together, and yet Geoff still insisted on trying to be the kid's conscience.   
        They were more than half way through an open field when it started snowing. At first it was just a mild annoyance, only barely obstructing their vision as they aimed for the treeline on the other side where they would take shelter. Ryan knew there was a farm somewhere off to their right; he could barely make out a house in the field, and a rickety old barn that he could sense animals in. Not many, but they were there. Briefly, he thought they should detour and wait out the snow, but glancing behind him and seeing the stubborn look on Michael's face immediately squashed that thought.  
        That was, until Michael actually collapsed to one knee and the snow turned into a blizzard in what seemed like the same instant.   
        "Uh, Ryan?"  
        "Yeah, I got him," the wizard answered Geoff as he bent and helped the prince back up, slinging one of the kid's arms over his shoulders before fully picking him up. His eyebrows shot up when he saw Michael's head loll back rather than being met with an angry face of protest. Immediately, Ryan sensed that his life was weaker than it had been already.  
        "Did you see-"  
        "The farm to our right? Yeah, I saw it," Ryan once again answered Geoff, and the pair trudged through the snowstorm to the farm.  
  
        Jack had noticed the group of 3 crossing the field, but hadn't thought much of it; it was a well used path, and travelers passed through all the time. Usually not in the middle of winter, but they passed through nonetheless.   
        The sudden blizzard made Jack look out his window again, and was surprised to see two men and a limp figure in one of their arms more than half way up the path to his house. Something about the limp figure told him he'd better get some of his remedies ready; remedies he hadn't actually prepared in a few years, but still felt confident enough in that they'd be useful.   
        Once those were ready, the pair were almost at his front door. So, rather than forcing them to knock, he opened the door for them and ushered them in, motioning for them to put the limp boy by the fire. Without any of them saying a word, Jack set a soaked cloth on the boy's forehead and set about checking him over. He paid no attention to either man as they stood there, shuffling their feet, neither of them sure of what to do.   
        Determining the source of the boy's ailment, Jack stood up again and finally looked at the two men, surprised to recognize the infamous Ramsey, thief said to have stolen the exiled prince from his own grave. With a start, he looked back down at the boy, and recognized the telltale red hair poking out from the hood of the cloak he was wearing.   
        "Can you heal him?" The other man had spoken, and Jack was surprised at the baritone voice, almost similar to his own.  
        "Yeah, but none of the plants I need are available, 'cause it's winter," he answered, and the other man answered just by holding his hand out, palm up, and producing a blue flame; Jack could feel the heat of it from where he was standing.   
        "Snow isn't a problem."  
        Rather than being afraid, Jack only nodded, grabbed his own cloak, made sure he knew what herbs and essences he would need, and walked out of his cabin with the wizard.  
  
        On their way back, they swore they heard the faint sound of birds; Jack could only think what a shame it was that those birds died for being too late to migrate.  
  
 

* * *

  
  
        Fire magic! In his woods? That was something the wood nymph hadn't seen in quite a long time. Curiosity kept him from running, though. Soon, he determined they were searching for specific plants; ones that would heal infection and antidote poison, from what Gavin knew of those plants. The stouter man seemed to know where to look for these plants, directing the wizard to melt the snow (and believe him, Gavin was appreciative that the wizard knew just how much heat to use to  _only melt_  the snow) and then gather what he needed.   
        It didn't take the pair long to gather what they needed, and they were already headed back out of the woods before Gavin had really formed a full opinion of them. Sure, he vaguely recognized the stout man as the farmer near by, but the wood nymph never cared enough to pay attention to him. But something definitely drew him to them, so he resolved to follow them for a little while until he decided what he thought of them.  
        The giggle that escaped him when he decided that was reminiscent of a bird chirping.  
  
 

* * *

  
  
        Ryan had had enough. Michael was still limping, Geoff hadn't stopped asking Jack about plants as they walked by them, and Jack hadn't stopped actually explaining  _each and every one_. On top of all that, they were being followed! Sure, Ryan knew he was the only one that knew, but he could tell the boy had picked up on something; he kept glancing over his shoulder toward the trees, and Ryan couldn't help the pride that flashed briefly. Despite being exiled, the boy certainly was growing up into a capable warrior. And with Jack around, Michael's wound wouldn't even handicap him in the long term.   
        Jack was mid sentence when Ryan decided to put an end to it. He pinpointed the wood nymph's energy in the tree nearest Geoff, and flicked a finger. In the same instance, the body of a teenage boy fell out of the tree and collided into Geoff's shoulder; they both shrieked, Geoff actually jumping into Jack's arms and the nymph skyrocketing to the nearest branch.   
        In the same instant, Ryan and Michael doubled over in laughter.  
        "Not funny, assholes!" Geoff protested as he climbed out of Jack's arms. Jack had started laughing too.  
        "Sorry, I just couldn't stand being followed any longer. The nymph has been with us for almost the whole week at this point, figured we should introduce ourselves."  
        "You knew I was here?" The voice came from the branch, and Ryan glanced up to look at the form perched there.  
        "Only the oblivious wouldn't have noticed," Ryan said while motioning to Geoff and Jack, both of whom were averting their gazes and tightening their cloaks.   
        "Can I travel with you?" The question caught Ryan, and the rest, he noticed, off guard. Geoff just stared, open mouthed, up at the nymph.   
        "And what exactly do you have to offer?" That was Michael speaking now, and once again pride flashed in Ryan's chest; the boy really was aging quite nicely.   
        "The forest," he said simply.  
        "You've got to be kidding me," Ryan said under his breath, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose.  
        "No, being a dryad means I can quite literally provide you guys with the forest. I'll always be able to guide you out of trees and brush, and anything in the forest won't be a threat unless you threaten it first," the nymph explained.   
        Shrugging, Michael answered the affirmative. Ryan glanced at the boy, who was still looking at the tree spirit in wonder. Looking at the nymph himself, he finally decided the spirit was harmless.  
        "Yeah, I guess, why not. You couldn't possibly slow us down at all."  
        "Do you even have a destination?" When none of the men answered him, the nymph just continued. "Well anyway, I guess I should introduce myself. My dryad name is a bit too complicated for mortal tongues, so you may call me Gavin Free, since my name translated means "free with the wind," and Gavin is an English name."  
        "Well, welcome aboard, Gavin Free With the Wind," Geoff said with a smile. Ryan rolled his eyes and turned back down the trail to continue walking. "Though, you should probably put on more clothes than that while you're with us; you might be a dryad and all, but we're trying to keep a low profile, and having an actual spirit with us won't exactly allow us to do that."  
        "Oh, right! Yeah, no problem!"  
        Somehow, Ryan doubted that would actually be, "no problem," for the dryad.   
  
 

* * *

  
  
        " _I need help!_ "  
        Ryan stood frozen in the middle of the path; there was an icy hot pain at the bottom of his feet, and his shoulders felt stiff. As soon as he heard the call for help, he knew it was another wizard trying desperately to save themselves, or their magic.   
        Michael and Gavin both stopped in their tracks when they noticed Ryan had stopped moving, and all the wizard had to do was make eye contact with each of them in turn for them to understand something was seriously wrong. Ryan noticed Michael opened his mouth to say something to the other two men with them, but he cut him off.  
        "This way!"   
        It was all he said as he took off running, being pulled by magic he could only describe as a potential god's.   
        The puddles on the pathway he ran down seemed to move out of his way as he made a mad dash toward the calling magic; spring showers hadn't slowed the group down at all on their travels, and the aftermath of each shower was no exception to the wizard with a mission.  
          
        The village he found couldn't have held more than 45 people as it's population. And all 45 of them were gathered around a bonfire in the center, a spire sticking out of the middle. That's when he registered a man screaming, and felt the very intense pull of the magic within that man. Of all the ways to go, a witch trial was  _not_  how this wizard wanted to go, Ryan could feel it.   
        He couldn't listen to the screams anymore, so he did the only thing that came to mind; he took control of the fire.   
        Ryan forced the flames down, spreading them out wide to lick at the faces of the nearby villagers rather than at the feet of the wizard tied to the stake. He noticed a few of the sorry bastards' clothes caught fire, and he nearly laughed at the irony of it. Instead, he glanced over his shoulder where he knew his crew would be.  
        "Geoff! Get him out of there!" Ryan saw Geoff nod at his command, and felt relief from the wizard in the middle. It wouldn't be too long now, and he would be safe. Ryan only blinked at the realization he'd  _heard the other man's thoughts_.  
  
 

* * *

  
  
        "You want to do  _what_  to my feet?"  
        Jack cringed at the thought of repeating what he'd told the poor, young wizard. Sure, they'd saved his life, but not soon enough; the fire had done enough damage to the poor man's feet that they wouldn't heal at all.   
        "If you want to be able to walk again with Ryan's help, we need to cut your feet off so his magic has a fresh place to bond."  
        "What, I'm not short enough already?"  
        "I'm sorry, but this is necessary if you want to live."  
        Jack watched the man go silent, staring down at his charred and disfigured feet. Ryan seemed to choose that moment as a good time to come into their make-shift medical tent.  
        "What's your name, son?"  
        "J-Jeremy Dooley. I... I don't want to lose my feet, sir."  
        "Unfortunately, we can't help that. I'll do what I can to give them back, and then teach you how to maintain them, though."  
        That seemed to calm Jeremy down some, and Jack set about finishing up his concoction that would make the whole process easier.  
  
 

* * *

  
  
        Two years have passed since then. Michael, now a man, has made it clear to his small crew that he absolutely wants his crown back. He wants to right all the wrongs that his father and especially his uncle have committed. He wants to fix  _his_  kingdom.   
        Achieveland had fallen into a dark time when King Vincent died and Prince Jared took over. Corruption spread among the guards, the economy collapsed, fields seemingly lost their fertility; Ryan couldn't tell what was caused by terrible people and what was caused by magic at that point. The only thing he knew for sure was that he wanted to put Michael back on the throne where he belonged, so the boy- sorry, the man- could fix everything.


	3. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so, the story begins...

        Michael took a deep breath as he looked out over the open air. He made sure to stay back from the crumbling ledge of the cliff, but he still stood close enough to look out over Achieveland. He could see the castle from there, the place he'd spent his childhood, believing his family were infallible. It seemed small from that distance and the height he was at, and he scoffed; appropriate, after what he'd learned over the last 6 years, that the kingdom would seem so tiny.  
        He took one last deep breath, glaring at the castle one last time, before he turned around to face his companions. Geoff, the man who'd saved him when he was first exiled, smiled from his spot next to Jeremy. The short wizard was sitting on a nearby rock, resting his legs after spending over half the day walking. Gavin was sitting on a tree branch just above Jack's head a little ways down the trail, his bare shoulders moving in what Michael could only assume was laughter; he couldn't hear either of them, but knew they were talking, and could see their easy smiles from where he was standing. And Ryan, the only one that seemed to understand Michael's want to reclaim the throne, he was standing next to the prince, his hand on Michael's shoulder.  
        "Do you think I can do it?" Michael couldn't help the question, but he didn't look up at the man when he asked, instead his eyes flicking once more over his crew.  
        "I know you can, Michael. In fact, I think  _only_  you can do it."  
        Michael buzzed at the words, humming in response before stepping away from the wizard and over to Geoff, motioning for Gavin and Jack to get ready; they were going to head further into the woods and make camp before night fell. Determination fueled Michael's motions as he helped Jeremy stand up and gathered some things so the injured wizard wouldn't have to carry them himself; Michael's own pack wasn't nearly heavy enough to warrant not helping him. Just because he was a prince didn't mean he had to treat everyone else like they were less than him. Ryan often told him that was one of the greatest lessons he could've learned during this journey, and he took pride in that.   
        Once he was sure everyone was ready to continue moving, he and Ryan took the lead once again and walked further down the trail. They were only half way up the mountain, and they needed to get across it and down the other side to get to the village that was rumored to be starting a resistance against King Jared.  
        Michael only hoped that when they got there, the villagers didn't see his red hair and want him dead on sight.  
  
 

* * *

  
  
        Geoff looked behind him and noticed Jeremy was lagging behind again, so he slowed his steps to allow the shorter wizard to catch up. Despite it being almost 2 years since they saved him, Jeremy still couldn't conjure his own feet, or do very many magic things at all for that matter. And as a result, he was quick to tire from the pain he was almost constantly experiencing because of Ryan's magic always on him.   
        "Tell me about that dragon egg you mentioned a while back," Geoff coaxed, trying to get the guy's mind off the pain.  
        "I mean, I didn't exactly find it because I was looking for it, I just happened across a nest and saw there was a lone egg in it, and knew it was far too big to be a bird's nest. I was just looking for ingredients to help with a spell I was trying to learn, after all. And I didn't dare stick around, who knows when the mother would've come back! I would've been cooked alive- actually, it was more likely to be iced, since I think it was an ice dragon egg- anyway, I would've been killed!"  
        Geoff just smiled and nodded as he kept asking Jeremy questions about it, glancing ahead whenever he felt Ryan's eyes on him. He knew he was just making sure his magic was holding up well, the corporeal feet he conjured for the younger wizard being the only way the guy could walk again. They all worried about Jeremy, but Geoff took it upon himself to keep him distracted whenever he could. Besides, he could listen to Jeremy talk forever and not even mind.   
        "Hey Gavin!" Jeremy practically interrupted himself mid sentence, and Geoff nearly jumped at the sudden shout.  
        "Yes Jeremy?"  
        "Aren't dryads supposed to be female?"  
        Geoff nearly fell over from laughter when he saw the green blush creep over the nymph's face.   
        "That's not very  _progressive_  of you, Lit'le J," Gavin answered.   
        "Oh no, I didn't mean anything by it, I was just curious is all! I've never met a male dryad, only satyrs."  
        "I want absolutely  _nothing_  to do with those disgusting, goat-bottomed heathens. All they want is sex and to please Pan, I swear!"  
        "That doesn't answer my question, Gavin."  
        "I identify as male, and I can appear however I want. We don't technically have the gender restrictions you mortals do. You just hear about the ones that show themselves off as female the most, so that's why it's a common misconception that they're only female. I mean, it's not like we reproduce ourselves, and there's practically an infinite amount of us, so it doesn't really matter."  
        "Interesting," Jeremy said, nodding with his finger over his lip as his brow furrowed while he stared at the ground in front of him as he walked.  
  
 

* * *

  
  
        The light from the village could be seen in the distance, and Ryan stopped the crew for the night. Once again, he found himself looking at Michael's red hair and worrying about it; would these villagers know that the prince had been exiled? Only the royal family had red hair like Michael's, and Ryan wasn't sure how many people knew that Michael had actually survived being cast out, how far the rumors had spread. It had been 6 years since the whole endeavor, and usually if the stories didn't make it out here, they never would.  
        As they all sat around a fire, Jeremy was finally able to lay down and rest his body after dealing with magic all day; he wasn't yet skilled enough to conjure his own feet, but Ryan was teaching him as fast as he could. Surveying the ragtag crew that had been assembled in support of the fallen prince, the wizard couldn't help but hold back a laugh. The entire group of them were something he mused would come out of a legend; two wizards- one of whom doesn't even know the extent of his power- a rogue, a wood nymph, a healer, and a warrior prince who was trying to take back his deserved spot on the throne. Yes, he guessed even if they weren't successful, their story would be told for many millennia.   
        Looking finally at Michael, Ryan thought of something.  
        "Hey Jeremy, you up for a lesson in illusion?"  
        "Uh, I guess I could try?"   
        "Great. Change Michael's hair color."  
        "You want to do what now?" Michael nearly shouted in surprise, staring at Ryan.  
        "You can't just waltz into _that_ village with _that_ color hair, you'll get attacked immediately if these guys really are building a resistance," Ryan explained. "Besides, it'll only be temporary, it won't hurt even if Lil J fucks it up, and it'll be good practice for him."  
        "I dunno, Ryan, it is his  _head_  after all; if I do fuck up, it could cause some serious damage," Jeremy lamented, already sounding unsure of himself.  
        "Jeremy, if you don't try, you'll never get better. You've gotta be confident in yourself; your magic does most of the work anyway. And it's just an illusion messing with color and that's it, there's no possible harm to be done to Michael in the process unless you cast something that isn't going to cause an illusion; there's no possible way you're gonna do that, because you're not stupid," Ryan reassured him, and motioned for Michael to move over to where Jeremy was sitting as he did the same. "Also, eventually you're going to have to learn how to make your own feet."  
        "Wouldn't it be easier just to teach me how to fly?"  
        "Sure, why don't you just ask one of the dragons you're so fond of talking about that none of us have ever actually met," Ryan retorted, rolling his eyes and helping Jeremy set up.  
        "What, you think I'm lying about talking to dragons?"  
        "No, I think you're just slightly insane. But that's fine, magic tends to do that to us; it's sort of the price of being gifted with it, I suppose."  
        "Well you're probably not wrong with that, but I swear to you I can talk to dragons. I'll prove it one day, you'll see."  
        Rather than continue the conversation, Ryan just rolled his eyes again, and Jeremy took it as a sign to get to work on Michael's hair. Ryan watched, but didn't focus on the task, instead thinking about the whole dragon thing; what if he really could talk to dragons? Was that part of the powers that came with the magic Jeremy had access to? Magic that, by all accounts, Jeremy  _should_  be able to feel, and yet can't? Ryan has asked the younger wizard if he could feel Ryan's magic, and has gotten an affirmative response, but when asked if he could feel the level of his own, all Ryan got in response was a shrug. And after delving into the other man's mind- a power he could only use on Jeremy, for some reason- he found that Jeremy was being truthful about it; the young wizard had absolutely  _no idea_  of the kind of power he held. It troubled him, and occupied his thoughts many nights over the last 2 years.  
        "I- I think I did it!" Jeremy's excited voice cut through Ryan's thoughts, and the older wizard looked up and focused on Michael's hair. Sure enough, instead of deep red curls, black shrouded the prince's head. Ryan reached over and touched his hair, tugging on a lock gently to test if anything about the hair had actually changed.   
        "Ow! What the fuck, Ryan?"  
        "Sorry Michael, just had to make sure all that'd changed was the color. It looks fairly permanent, too. Good job, Jeremy! I'll have you lift the spell once we're sure Michael won't be murdered for his identity here."  
        "...I'm supposed to be able to lift the spell, too?"  
        Ryan just stared at the younger wizard for a few moments before just closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.  
        "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, I suppose. We should get some sleep."  
        "I'll take first watch, then," Michael volunteered, and stood up, grabbing his sword and moving to the edge of their clearing. Gavin followed him, the nymph preferring to rest in the trees and staying by the prince's side. Ryan settled into his own spot, the other 3 around him doing the same. Waiting to make sure they were all comfortable, Ryan used one last spell to help Jeremy fall asleep, knowing full well the younger man had trouble doing so because of the phantom pains from his nonexistent feet.  
        Once Jeremy's breathing was even with sleep, Ryan took one last look at Michael; the black of his hair was blending into the darkness of the forest surrounding them, and briefly Ryan wondered if they should keep his hair that color. Almost immediately, he dismissed the thought; Michael was too proud of his lineage to want to erase the last pure sign he had of it.   
        He heard Gavin's bird like laugh, and decided their camp was at ease. Ryan closed his eyes and slipped into slumber within moments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick A/N: This version will have a schedule. A very loose one, but it's the only way I can feel comfortable I'm giving you guys here on AO3 my very best (like no one ever was). I use the Quotev version for editing (because when I'm rereading my writing there, I catch my mistakes, and can edit that before I post it here in the future) and then post the "final" version here.  
> The schedule starting from today (May 19, 2018) will be as follows:  
> Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays before 10pm EST  
> Every other Saturday (but maybe it'll be two Saturdays in a row, this one varies for now), no time set  
> Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays are my draft days; that means you'll find the new chapter went up (or is being written and isn't quite up yet) on Quotev on those days, and is in the process of being edited.  
> So after today, I'll see you all again here Monday night! <3


	4. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Welcome to the Village of the Saints," the captain finally greeted them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm late! Busy night last night and most of today, so I didn't have time to draft this until last minute!

        "You there! Halt!"  
        Michael grit his teeth at the harsh tone of the guard they were approaching, but knew better than to retort. He was a warrior to these people, not a prince. He couldn't mouth off to the guards here if they tried to order him around, because here they actually had power over him.   
        He followed suit when he saw Ryan held up his hands and Geoff did the same, the rogue holding up his bow to show he had no intention of using it. Michael made sure his sword was properly sheathed and held his hands out to show he had no intention of attacking. Gavin, Jeremy, and Jack didn't have any visible weapons, Jack's dagger tucked away as a last line of defense. Michael bit his tongue when he saw Geoff step forward, still holding out his bow to prove his lack of aggression.  
        "We're here because we heard about the resistance." Michael practically felt his entire crew tense at how open Geoff was being about this, but no one made a move or corrected him. "We'd like to help you. King Jared has done terrible things, and we want him brought down."  
        The guard looked over the 6 of them again, seeming to assess them as his eyes traveled over them. Briefly, he worried the guard would notice his hair, but then he remembered that Jeremy cast a spell on it last night, so it was black instead of red. As the guard was still eyeing them, another two men in armor came through the village entrance, standing on either side of the initial guard. One wasn't wearing a helmet, his long, black hair pulled back into a pony tail, similar to the way Ryan usually wore his hair. His shoulder plates seemed larger than the others' as well, and Michael assumed he was the captain of their squadron.   
        "Trouble, friend?" The man Michael identified as the leader asked, speaking to the initial guard.   
        "This group claims to be here to help the resistance," he answered, motioning toward the crew.  
        "We have a very specific bone to pick with King Jared, so we'd like to help in any way we can," Geoff reassured them, going as far as to set his bow on the ground to lessen his threat level. It put Michael on edge, but he knew it was the only way to keep them from viewing the crew as enemies.  
        "Wait a moment... Aren't you Ramsey? The rogue thief that's rumored to have stolen the prince himself from his own exiled grave?"  
        So the stories  _had_ reached this far; Michael and Ryan had talked extensively about whether they would or not, and it seemed like they had.  
        "Am I really that recognizable?" Geoff turned his head slightly to glance back at Ryan, who merely shrugged.  
        "Considering your face is on every wanted poster from here to the castle, I'd say so," Jack finally spoke from behind them. This at least made the guards laugh, and Michael felt a little more at ease. They seemed like easy-going guys, so chances are they would-  
        "You there," the captain said, pointing at Michael. "Step forward."  
        Michael barely hesitated before stepping forward, keeping his hands where the guards could see them, but his muscles tense, ready to grab his sword if something were to happen.  
        "So, since we have Ramsey here, the man rumored to have saved the exiled prince, and everyone knew the prince wasn't a wood nymph or a short man with a dark beard- nor would he grow to be one- and the other two are just too old to be the prince... Who does that leave you to be?"  
  
 

* * *

  
  
        Ryan immediately began gathering magic to defend Michael, tensing his hands to be ready to cast the spell within a moment. He felt Jeremy panic, having sensed Ryan's magic, before the young wizard followed suit.   
        "Well, do I look like I could be descended from royal blood?" Michael asked him, showing no signs of being tense.  
        "I have to admit, you  _are_  missing the red hair, but that doesn't mean much since you're traveling with at least one wizard, as well as an herbalist that could very easily find something to disguise your hair for a short period of time." The captain was walking in a slow circle around Michael now, and Ryan was even further on edge. This was going poorly, and quickly. He glanced back to make eye contact with Jeremy, searching the younger man's thoughts to try and gauge what he was going to do.  
        "Well, if I  _am_  the prince, what would that mean for me and my crew?"  
        "Depends on where your loyalties lie, young man. You watched your mother die in front of you. Your own uncle exiled you, leaving you to die in the forest just outside your own home. You decided to travel with a known thief, someone who your own father wanted dead."  
        "You're saying these statements as if you already know who I am."  
        The captain went quiet, stopping directly in front of Michael, and Ryan tensed, ready to defend him if need be. Michael raised his chin, not breaking eye contact with the captain. Finally, the man leaned in, whispering something to Michael that Ryan was sure he only heard because his magic was heightening his senses.  
        "Your identity remains a secret for now. You are nothing more than a knight, a simple warrior here to join our ranks. And you will not hesitate to take orders from me, do you understand?"  
        Ryan nearly wanted Michael to refuse, but he knew they needed the troops this village was going to offer. He only relaxed when the captain took a step back after Michael nodded in agreement to their hushed terms.   
        "Welcome to the Village of the Saints," the captain finally greeted them. Ryan relaxed and let his magic disperse, sensing Jeremy do the same. "The village furthest to the west on the map of Achieveland, and the only place King Jared refuses to acknowledge as part of the kingdom. As a result, we've decided to begin building our own resistance. Please, you're all welcome here." He smiled and motioned for them to follow, and Ryan immediately came to Michael's side, lowering his voice so only he could hear him.  
        "Only you and I know of the captain's deal right now, we'll have to tell the others about it once we're alone," Ryan informed him, and he noted the young warrior's slight nod before they both followed the captain into the village, the other 4 of the crew trailing behind. Geoff picked up his bow and brought up the rear, Jack and Jeremy directly in front of him. Gavin practically glued himself to Michael's back once they were inside the village limits, and Ryan made sure to keep himself ready in case something were to happen, staying to Michael's left and in the front with him.   
        "We don't have enough room in the barracks for you 6 to stay there, but I think the inn might have a room or two available for rent, provided a few of you don't mind sharing a room or even beds. We're working on expanding." The tour was accompanied with brandishes of the captain's arms, pointing out the buildings he mentioned.  
        "The Village Elder lives there, you'll meet her probably tomorrow; she was busy helping train the warriors today, she's likely drained. You might get lucky and spot her at the inn for dinner, but it's unlikely. Her husband and son like to make sure she keeps her energy up as much as possible lately, since she insists on actually going into battle with us when the time comes." He motioned toward a large, yet plain looking cottage as they'd walked past and he talked. The captain also pointed out the barracks; there was a framework for the new addition to the building poking out behind it. Finally, he halted in front of the inn; the sign that labeled it as such swayed softly in the slight breeze as the crew stopped and looked at the man. As he opened his mouth to address the crew again, the innkeeper stepped out while wiping her hands on the apron that hung in front of her skirt.  
        "Stephen, if you think I have room in this building for 6 fully grown men, you're insane." Her voice was far from gentle, but Ryan suspected it was due to her mood rather than her general disposition. Her round face certainly didn't seem the type to be hard and closed off, especially not if she was an innkeeper. Her golden hair was long, but he couldn't quite tell how long since it was pulled back into a tight bun against her head, and her bangs were pinned out of the way.   
        "They'll share rooms, and they're not staying there for free, don't worry," the captain had immediately rolled his eyes when she'd berated him, and Ryan wondered what their relationship was.   
        "So what, you're telling them they have to stay here and pay me? Some host you are!"  
        "No,  _I'm_  the one that's going to be paying  _for_  them, Solana. Now relax and go get whatever remaining rooms you have free ready for them. You'll get your gold and they'll get a place to rest. As soon as the barracks-"  
        "For the gods' sake, Stephen, did you even  _ask_  them if they wanted to stay here? It's not supposed to rain today, maybe they wanted to camp again?" She finally just threw her hands in the air and came down the few steps so she was on level ground with all of them. Ryan was immediately shocked to notice she was almost as tall as the captain, if only a few inches shorter.   
        "What, are you gonna take-"  
        "Go on, get out of here. You've got barracks to build." She nudged him away, which almost turned into a shove when he didn't react immediately. Finally, the man shrugged and walked off, seeing arguing with her was a lost cause. "Sorry about him, he's been on edge since I turned down his marriage proposal about a moon ago. I'm Solana, and if you want, you can stay here at the inn for a night or two, or until the barracks are finished if you make the final decision to join our resistance. You will have to share rooms, however. Only two to a room though, I have 3 available. Well, I suppose you could do whatever combination you feel like, but come on inside and take your pick of the rooms; the meat's almost done cooking for dinner, so you've come at the right time."  
        Ryan had to keep from turning and looking at the rest of the guys, unsure of whether he wanted to know how many of them were drooling over this woman or not. He didn't even bother probing Jeremy's mind, not wanting to know what the young wizard thought of Solana. Ryan just nodded at her and motioned for the rest to follow before walking inside, Michael right behind him and the rest following suit.   
  
 

* * *

  
  
        "Dinner's ready!" A bell chimed as Solana shouted, and Michael looked up from cleaning his sword. He and Gavin were sharing a room, Ryan wanting Jeremy to stay with him in case of some magical emergency, which left Jack and Geoff to themselves down the hall. Gavin bounced up off the bed, then immediately made a face, smelling the cooked meat.  
        "I think I'll go out and forage instead," he said, glancing at Michael, who was already standing up.  
        "Stay close by, somewhere Ryan or Jeremy can sense you, then," Michael said. "Or, if you want to wait out dinner, I'll come out with you."  
        "I'd like that, Micoo," Gavin smiled at him as he answered, and they both walked out of the room and into the main hall where the long table was already set and served. "Oh, never mind! Look, there's fruit and other things I can eat here!"  
        "Of course! Not everyone can eat venison, so I usually go out and gather what I can from the nearby forest and the plants I have in the garden," Solana said as she walked past them, carrying two full plates of food for the crowd. "Hurry up and take a seat, you two, or there won't be room!"  
        Michael nodded at her and he and Gavin made their way over to where the rest of the group was sitting together. Almost immediately, Gavin began loading his plate with any food that wasn't meat based, the rest of the table having already begun serving themselves. Michael followed suit, and before long, the rest of the crew did too.   
        As everyone was going to begin eating, the door to the inn opened, and a tall, imposing woman strode in. Her short hair was bathed in red from the firelight, and for a moment Michael was confused; was she a relative of his? But as she moved away from the fire and more where moonlight lit up her features instead, Michael realized her hair was silver, signifying her age. However, it was nearly the only thing that gave her away; her posture was that of a warrior's, and her face didn't betray her by wrinkling. In fact, her face reminded Michael of Solana's, both of them round and inviting, and he wondered if  _they_  were relatives.   
        Almost as if they'd read his mind, the innkeeper walked up to the woman and hugged her in greeting.  
        "Feel free to sit where you like, Grandma," she said, motioning to the table, and the older woman nodded before moving to the table and taking a seat, serving herself. Solana watched her for a moment before taking the free seat to Michael's left and serving herself.   
        "Grandma? She doesn't look old enough to be anyone's grandma, save for the hair."  
        "Yeah, some claim she's a vampire because of that, but she's just a witch is all. And it's not even something she does consciously, nor does she use her magic for much of anything beyond helping us as a community grow; she fights with the knights, and uses her sword to do so instead of her magic. Besides, most witches' magic isn't used for offense, just defense and healing. Though with healing, we need the help of plants and gems in order to channel it, to the point where we just let the herbalists and apothecaries handle the healing, and only provide help when it's serious."  
        "You keep saying we-"  
        "Yeah, my father didn't inherit her magic at all, but she's been keeping a close eye on me in case I start to show signs. As of right now, nothing, but I also haven't exactly tried either. She's told me witches operate differently than wizards, our magic often buried, hidden, and obscured until it's necessary we know about it. So buried and obscured that even the most skilled magic users can't sense it until it's made itself known to the witch who controls it. So I say we because it's likely I'll end up in the same boat, but it's still undetermined."  
        Michael nodded to show he understood, slowly picking through his food and eating as they continued to talk. Well, as she continued to talk and Michael asked her questions. He found out a lot about her that night, and he guessed it was because no one actually thought to ask her about herself; she was always the one on the listening end.   
  
 

* * *

  
  
        "So, Solana seems to have taken a liking to you."  
        Michael groaned, having known that was going to be Gavin's opening line as soon as they stepped into the woods. Despite not needing to forage, the nymph still wanted to spend some time in the forest, being able to feel the trees for a while, and Michael still went with him because he, too, needed time to think.  
        "I just allowed her to talk, that was it."  
        "Well, you are a good listener, Michael-boi," he said almost shyly. Michael didn't pay it any attention though, still watching the leaves instead of looking at Gavin.  
        "So I've been told. Believe me, she doesn't actually feel anything for me, she just likes that I let her talk instead of forcing her to listen to my problems, something I'm sure she's used to as an innkeeper. Besides, she's still totally smitten with that Stephen guy, the captain, you can see it the way she stares after him. And I've got bigger things to worry about; I have no intention of getting involved with anyone, especially not someone out here. Focusing on getting back to the throne is my priority right now."  
        "If you say so, Michael-boi. If you say so."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The amount of research and tweaking of mythology I'm doing to this story both exhilarates me and irritates me; on one hand, I want to keep the mythology as accurate as possible, but on the other hand, it's FICTION so I'm making it my own. This definitely comes more into play later, but you can see it here when I talk about witches, and in last chapter when I explained dryads/nymphs.  
> This is why fiction and fantasy are my favorite to write, because you can make whatever you want, and as long as those rules stay consistent within your own world, it's perfectly acceptable.  
> As always, thank you all for reading, and I'll see you here on Wednesday <3


	5. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops, a little late again; sorry! I might just adjust my schedule to say before 11pm instead of before 10 at this rate. We'll see how Friday goes, and I'll adjust accordingly!

        "Before we begin your group's training, we have a... a task we'd like you to complete."  
        The 6 of them were standing in a clearing, the rest of the guards and knights were already pairing off to spar and warm up, while Captain Stephen kept the group in front of him.  
        "What kind of task?" Geoff asked, stepping forward to talk to the captain.  
        "We need you to climb the mountain and slay the dragon that's up there."  
        "Wh- What? Why? Your village seems fine, it doesn't look like it's under any sort of attack on any regular basis and-" Jeremy was already babbling, outraged at the very idea of killing such a powerful life form.  
        "It's not about it terrorizing us, it's about what it has in its horde. There's some enchanted artifacts that could potentially help us an-"  
        "You absolutely do  _not_  want to mess around with enchanted  _anything_  if you know what's good for you," Ryan cut off the captain.  
        "Would you all just shut up and let me finish explaining what I need you to do?" When the crew went silent, Jeremy still glaring daggers and Ryan rolling his eyes at the captain's obvious ignorance, Stephen continued. "As well as the artifacts, there's a soldier we sent up there a few years ago that never returned. We have reason to believe he's still alive, since the dragon hasn't come down here since then, presumably because it's busy with Ray, the soldier we sent. Yes, we've sent followup patrols, and yes the dragon is still alive. We need you to recover the artifacts and hopefully our soldier."  
        "Why did you only send one man the first time?" Jack couldn't help but sound concerned as he asked.  
        "Because originally it was just supposed to be a scouting mission; he wasn't supposed to engage, just go see what he could of the horde and leave. He just never came back."  
        "So you want us to go up and see if we can't find him?" Michael asked.  
        "And hopefully you kill the dragon and take its horde in the process, yes."  
        "We'reNOT KILLING the goddamn DRAGON!" Jeremy shouted, crossing his arms and still glaring at the captain.  
        "Fine fine, if you can just get our estranged soldier and return, that'll be enough. Even if all you can do is find evidence that he's dead, that's enough. Just bring it back."  
        "That's better," Jeremy grumbled, relaxing slightly.  
        "So when do you want us to leave?" Geoff looked over his bow as he asked, making sure the string was the right amount of taut.   
        "Right now, if you can. Gather supplies and whatnot if you need to, but leave before sundown."  
  
 

* * *

  
  
  
        "This is bullshit."  
        Jeremy was still angry about the whole dragon thing, and Ryan was worried his magic would begin to react to his anger. So far, however, it remained mostly quiet as the younger wizard ranted about the dragon.  
        "What type of dragon do you think it is, Lil J?" Geoff tried to derail him a little, and for that, Ryan was grateful.  
        "Out here? Most likely a fire dragon, and if it's left the village mostly alone, it's likely an Elder dragon, content to just lay on its horde that it's collected."   
        It didn't take long for the trees to start thinning as they hiked further up the mountain, and Ryan sensed Gavin start lagging behind. The nymph was already showing fear signs when Jeremy mentioned it being a fire dragon, and he became stressed and constantly glanced over his shoulder as they traveled through the forest. Michael had clearly picked up on it and was walking along side him, but didn't hesitate to walk forward when Gavin started hanging back. Finally, Ryan fully stopped and looked at the nymph, who practically wilted under his gaze.  
        "Ryan, I'm sorry, Ryan, I- I just-.... I can feel the forest, it's damaged. And Jeremy said it was probably a fire dragon, and that makes sense with the damaged forest, and I-"  
        "If you want to stay in the trees and see what you can do to help, you can. We'll be back through here when we're done, and you wouldn't be much help in a fight anyway. Do what you're good at and help the forest, Gavin," the wizard reassured him.  
        "Stay safe, guys. Especially you, Michael-boi," the nymph said, hugging Michael before disappearing into a tree. The young prince didn't seem startled at all, having reciprocated the hug, and watched him disappear.  
        "You stay safe too," Michael all but whispered, Ryan the only one close enough to have heard him, though Geoff raised an eyebrow as if he'd heard him, but didn't say anything.   
  
 

* * *

  
  
  
        Michael climbed the last of the steps that lead to a ruin at the peak of the mountain, and looked around. Jeremy was right behind him, excitement buzzing as his head whipped back and forth, clearly looking for the dragon. Michael rolled his eyes and pressed onward cautiously, the rest of the crew following suit.   
        "I don't-"  
        "Shhhh!" Jeremy all but shoved his hand in Geoff's mouth to shush him, and even Michael turned around with his finger over his lips. The rogue nodded, eyes wide.   
        They didn't get much further when they heard a scream; not just any scream, but a man's scream. Michael drew his sword and moved forward enough to look into the cave, only to jump back as a man  _who was on fire_  ran out, passed the crew, and collapsed. Within moments, the fire spluttered out, and Michael noticed Ryan's hand was out, but he had a confused look on his face. Had he not been the one to put the fire out?  
        Michael didn't have time to wonder on that when the hair on the back of his neck rose; the man was standing back up.   
        "Damn, you guys didn't run screaming like most do when they make it up here and see the light show."  
        Michael's first immediate thought was wizard, but looking at the young man made him second guess his assumption. Then he sensed Jeremy stiffen next to him.  
        "You- what- you- how?" Jeremy stuttered for a second, just staring at the man, and Michael glanced questioningly at Ryan, who shrugged. Jeremy took a deep breath and continued. "You're a dragonborn?"  
        "If you mean I have a dragon's soul inside me, you're half right. Well, I guess you're fully right; there is in fact a dragon's soul inside me. But I'm still mostly human."  
        "But-"  
        "How? Well, since you're all gonna die up here, might as well tell you everything, amirite?"  
        Immediately, Michael tensed, his sword held up as he stepped forward.  
        "You're not going to kill any of us."  
        "No, I'm not. But the Elder dragon that lives here will when it gets back. Which should be any moment now, so shut up and let me explain so you don't die curious."  
        "Wait wait wait... Are you Ray?" Jack finally spoke up.  
        "Ah you poor saps. Stephen sent you up here to get killed, did he? He tends to do that to people he doesn't trust; you're either strong enough to kill the dragon and return and earn his favor, or you die up here and you're not his problem anymore. He only does it to outsiders to the village, at least, so the citizens are safe. Yes, I'm Ray Narvaez Jr., and I'm a Dragon Lycan."  
        "YOU CAN TURN INTO A DRAGON?!" Jeremy shouted, nearly collapsing into Michael from excitement.  
        "Partially. See, I wasn't born one, so I don't have a full dragon form. At least, not when I'm alone. I was... Forged, for lack of a better word, but I guess that's the best way to describe it; lots of fire was involved, a transference of pieces of souls, my bones felt like they were melted and replaced repeatedly. It's not a transformation I would wish on anyone. And before any of you say anything, yes I am aware lycans typically are people who suffer from lycanthropy, or werewolfism. But lycan has been adapted to be the umbrella term for shapeshifters that can turn into other animals. Dragon Lycans are extremely rare, especially now since dragons are starting to go extinct due to humans being threatened by them. So usually, they're only made when a dragon is on it's death bed and needs a new soul to revive it."  
        "So you were used as a vessel for the Elder dragon that lived up here! You revived it!" Michael swore Jeremy would've bounced in place if his legs didn't pain him to do that action, the young wizard was that excited.  
        "Ah, you  _like_  dragons, I take it?" Ray smirked at the wizard, who nodded vigorously.  
        "I can talk to them!"  
        "Jeremy!" Ryan couldn't cut him off in time.   
        "Wh- You can?" When Jeremy nodded again, Ray tapped his chin. "Alright, I'll let you guys live. You've intrigued me."  
        "Wait, what?"  
        "I'll tell Azoreir to not burn you guys to a crisp when he gets here. He's not that far now, should only be a few moments."  
        "Is Azoreir the name of the Elder dragon?" Michael rolled his eyes at Jeremy's question.  
        "No, he's actually a bunny that lives- of course it's the dragon, idiot."  
        "I'm sorry! This is just so exciting! I haven't had contact with a dragon in  _years_ , and here I am, face to face with a fabled  _dragon lycan_  and his bound dragon!"  
        "Uh huh... Oh, one more thing; since I'm letting you guys live, you can't go back to the village."  
        "Out of the question. I need as many people as I can get, including that small army. I have to restore-"  
        "Oh, so  _you're_  the prince I heard so much about before being sent up here. Michael, was it? Well, sorry, you can't use-"  
        "I'm leaving. I won't tell your secret, but I need that army. C'mon guys, let's go get Gavin and head back." Michael sheathed his sword and turned to go back down the steps.  
        "Wait! Ugh, fine; I'll go back with you. It probably wouldn't hurt you guys to have a dragon on your side, right?"  
        Michael all but smirked at the fact that his bluff had worked, and he saw Ryan roll his eyes, having caught Michael's expression. The prince cleared his face before turning back to Ray.  
        "So  _now_  you want to come with us?"  
        "It gets lonely up here, just me and Azoreir. Besides, imagine the way the kingdom would react if you came back to claim your throne  _riding a dragon_."


	6. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof I know it's been a while but life's really kicked my ass these last few months; hopefully I'll be able to actually post chapters now, but I guess we'll see what life has in store for me. Sorry for the wait!

        Gavin wandered the woods, keeping the trail within sight, and making sure he knew which trees would let him get back to the path fastest should his party return while he was further away. The forest felt weird to him, damaged and unprotected, which should  _not_  have been the case; wood nymphs were  _everywhere_ , there couldn't  _not_  be at least one guardian to this forest. Granted, they usually couldn't do much against dragons, especially fire ones, but the forest should still feel like there was... life in it. And to Gavin, it just felt like it was dying.   
        Wilted plants, blackened trees, and a river that seemed almost oily showcased the lack of health the woods had. The wood nymph went around, touching individual trees and doing his best to heal them, but something seemed to resist him. It vaguely reminded him of the force magic Ryan had use to draw him out of the tree back when Gavin first joined the traveling crew, but he quickly determined it wasn't the same type of magic. This felt more sinister, and made the hair on the back of his neck raise.   
        The wood nymph was still wandering the woods when he came across the entrance to a cave. If he hadn't been so in tune with the forest, trying to heal it and determine what was ailing it, he would've missed the opening, barely visible through the hanging moss and vines. Despite the green color, Gavin could still tell the vegetation was sick and dying. Not to mention the fact that the dryad had come across exactly zero animal life; not even birds sang from the branches or their nests.   
        Poking his head through the foliage obscuring the cave, Gavin almost immediately recoiled; the stench of death clung to the air, forcing the dryad to gag and wretch, coughing as he tried to catch his breath while leaning against the rocky wall that was the lip of the cave. Something was seriously wrong with that cave, and a sinking feeling wrapped Gavin's stomach as he thought of the possibilities of what it could be. Taking a deep breath, he held it as he pushed aside the moss and vines and looked into the cave. He didn't dare walk all the way in, but he used what sunlight he could to gather details of the inside of the cave. The red ambient lighting and smell of death and blood immediately gave Gavin all the information he needed to know about what- or who- the cave belonged to. Panicking, the nymph dropped the mossy curtain and practically flew towards the village. He had to tell someone!  
  


* * *

  
        Gavin skid to a halt at the edge of the forest, the Village of the Saints looming ahead of him. Trying to catch his breath, thoughts flew through his head on who he should go and find to deal with this. Stephen? Probably the best choice, right? He took a deep breath, ready to yell out for him, when he noticed a woman, tall with silver hair, standing at the edge of the forest and staring into it. Briefly, he wondered how he'd missed her when he came out, but the thought was forgotten as he continued to look at her.  
        She practically commanded authority. Her chin was set at such an angle that she seemed almost angry that the forest was sick, but not angry enough to storm in there on her own to try and fix it, though Gavin had a feeling she probably could do exactly that. Her silver hair was cut short, the ends of it curling inwards to frame her jawline, making her face seem rounder than it actually was (though it  _was_  fairly round). As soon as he saw her eyes flash towards him in a glance, he was reminded of the night before, in the Inn; she was Solana's grandmother, the Village Elder.  _She would know what to do,_  Gavin thought, and ran over to her.  
        "I assume by your panicked expression, Nymph, that you've discovered what ails this forest?"  
        Gavin stopped short of reaching her, staring at her while slack-jawed for a moment before sucking in a breath.  
        "I- Uh, yes, ma'am! There's a cave! Back on the other side of the river, the moss and vines cover the entrance and it blends in fairly well with the side of the mountain! It-it's a vampire coven! They're sapping the energies of the forest and manipulating it to hide them! S-something has to be done!" He was panting, still slightly panicking just thinking about the vampires and what he felt when he looked into that cave.  
        "You came in with that group of 6 yesterday, yes? There were 2 wizards in your group?"  
        "Y-yes, that was my group-"  
        "Where are they now?"  
        "C-captain Stephen sent us up to the mountain to deal with the dragon and try and recover a lost soldier, b-but being a wood nymph, and the dragon a fire dragon, I-I stayed behind in the forest-"  
        "Go find them. I'll meet you at the cave myself with Captain Stephen, and we'll  _all_  deal with the coven."  
        Rather than question her further, Gavin just nodded and took off back into the forest, using the trees to locate and travel to his group faster; they were already approaching the forest, and for that, Gavin was thankful.  
 

* * *

  
        Ray couldn't help but flinch at the sight of the singed and charred trees at the edge of the forest. Azoreir had been a little territorial before Ray had come up to scout out the mountain. That was why Ray was sent up in the first place; the Elder dragon had singed the forest, and the village was worried they were going to be the next target. What they hadn't expected was Ray to never return because the Elder dragon deemed Ray's soul strong enough to revive him, and consequently forged the young knight into a Dragon Lycan. The poor man then spent the next 2 years surviving on the mountain, keeping himself and Azoreir alive in the process.  
        "Gavin should be in the forest somewhere, we'll grab him and make our way back to the village," Jeremy explained to Ray, the young wizard barely leaning on his new walking stick, too excited to pay the pain in his feet any mind. Ray just smiled at him, nodding to show he understood, before his mind wandered back to Azoreir, who stayed on his horde at the top of the mountain.   
        The dragon hadn't come close to the group, choosing to speak to Ray through their bond from a distance. Sure, the dragon was visible to the crew, and Jeremy kept telling Ray to try and pass along the message that they were friendly, but Ray decided against it, instead keeping the normal line of communication he had with Azoreir; clear and concise. The dragon had sensed the magic in the younger wizard, and hadn't wanted to stir it yet, claiming the poor man's body wasn't ready for it.. When Ray mentioned that Jeremy claimed to have talked to dragons before, Azoreir agreed, stating that was something simple; what an Elder dragon would stir in that young man was on a whole other level of magic. They had ended contact with Azoreir reminding Ray that he knew how to call him if things got dire, and to be careful, since both of their life forces were tied to the young man's soul.  
        Before the elder dragon sent off his Lycan, though, he told him to grab a staff from the cave and give it to the younger wizard; Ray had complied, fetching the enchanted wooden rod and giving it to Jeremy, as per Azoreir's request.  
        " _It will help his growth in the coming months, having something to channel his magic into."_  
        "Where the hell is he? Jeremy, do you sense him?" Ryan was about to put his hand on a tree when a wood nymph practically popped out of it, panting as he did so.  
        "Guys! We have another task to do before we go back to the village!" The dryad pointed along the side of the mountain as he spoke, and Ray turned to look in the direction he was pointing, noting that Michael and Geoff did the same, while Ryan, Jeremy, and Jack all stared at Gavin.  
        "How come we couldn't sense you?" Ryan asked the nymph. Ray turned to look at them, to watch the conversation.  
        "That's part of the task! There's-" Gavin cut himself off, glancing back and forth before lowering his voice to a half whisper while leaning forward, eyes looking up at the wizard. "There's  _vampires_  here, and we have to take care of them."  
        "You've gotta be fucking kidding me...." Jack lamented from his spot next to Geoff, who's eyes widened when he heard Gavin say there were vampires.  
        "Wait, are we equipped to deal with this?" The archer asked, glancing among his crew.  
        "Your arrows are made of wood, aren't they?" Ryan said, shrugging as he turned away from Gavin. "There are plenty of ways to kill vampires, I think we've got more than enough to deal with a small coven."  
        "Ryan, they've been feeding on this forest for  _years_ , we should probably come up with a plan..." Gavin sounded small from behind Ryan, and Ray craned his neck to look at the nymph again.   
        "What kind of vampire feeds on a  _forest_? I think we'll be fine," Michael scoffed as he took about 3 steps in the direction Gavin had previously pointed, before something stopped him. Ray noticed Ryan's fingers had flexed, and wondered if the wizard had cast a spell to freeze the prince.  
        "Gavin's right. We need as much information as we can get before we storm their cave." Ryan's face had gone from impassive and nonchalant to grave and thoughtful as he spoke, and a chill went down Ray's spine. He didn't know much about vampires, but he knew if they were the kind to feed on the life forces of a forest  _as well as_ drink blood, these could potentially be a bigger problem than they thought.  
 

* * *

  
        After brief introductions between Gavin and Ray, the wood nymph immediately taking a liking to the Lycan, Ryan encouraged Gavin to give the crew as much information as he could remember when he found the cave. As expected, it wasn't much, but Ryan could fill in the gaps in information with what he knew about vampires himself. His crew needed to be as well informed as possible before they stormed that cave.   
        "Oh! The village elder also said she'd meet us there with Captain Stephen, so we have some back up for when we go in there," Gavin said from his spot next to Ray. Ryan nodded before he began pacing, trying to figure out the best place to start explaining just  _what_  they were going to be going against. He barely noticed Ray stiffen at the mention of Stephen's name, deciding dealing with that would have to come at a later date.  
        "So we know they're a coven of vampires, and they can manipulate nature in such a way that can hide their presence. And we know the villagers haven't noticed anyone going missing, or acting strangely, so they're not feeding on the village. At least, not in such a way that would tip anyone off that something was going on, besides the forest getting sick. My guess? They're fairly young, able to sustain themselves with wildlife for a while, maybe even draw strength from the forest itself-"  
        "There used to be dryads here. I could feel it; the trees seemed empty, and not the type of emptiness that had never been filled, but the emptiness of a life being ripped away from it..." Gavin cut off the wizard, who nodded in response.  
        "That's probably what kept them going for as long as they have. There's obviously still wildlife around here, since it keeps the village fed and whatnot, so there had to be something else that sated these vampires. You see, not all vampires require blood as their main source of sustenance. Sure, without it they'll eventually weaken and die, but it's not required for them to drink it on any regular basis; just enough to keep them from dying. Otherwise, some vampires can just sustain off life force with the occasional drink of blood."  
        "If that's the case, Ryan, I'd guess these vampires are from before even King Vincent..." Gavin rang his hands together as he spoke up. "They've definitely fed on blood recently, like  _today_  recently. And this forest... It's been empty of dryad magic for a long time."  
        "Vampires can live for centuries, Gavin. By vampire standards, they're still young. Older than many of us, yes, but they're still fairly young."  
        "What about our magic? If they can just.... Drain dryads out of trees, what's stopping them from feeding on our magic?" Jeremy spoke up, leaning a little more on his new walking stick.  
        "I'm honestly not quite sure on that one. Was never able to conduct any experiments regarding that. I just know it's a lot harder for vampires to take our magic than it is for them to drain wood nymphs. I have a couple hypotheses, but nothing concrete..." Ryan trailed off, his fingers stroking his short beard as he thought. He could feel Jeremy's eyes on him, knew he was waiting for an answer, but he just couldn't give one. "Now's not the time to get into it; we have a coven to eradicate."  
        "So they're still vampires, right? We can still kill them with fire, decapitation, and a wooden stake through the heart?" Michael asked, shifting his weight on his feet as he spoke, clearly wanting to get moving.  
        "Yes, but that doesn't mean it's going to be easy-" Ryan tried to explain, but Michael shrugged him off, beginning to walk in the direction of the cave again.  
        "Then let's just go. There's 6 of us that can fight, plus the reinforcements we'll be meeting with."  
        "We don't know how many there are-"  
        "Average coven size?"  
        "Well, usually anywhere from 6 to 12-"  
        "Great, that's 2 for each of us-"  
        "MICHAEL WILL YOU JUST SLOW DOWN AND LISTEN?!" Ryan was actually glaring at the young prince, anger making his magic bubble in his hands and warm up his palms. "You're not normally like this; you stop and listen, wanting a strategy rather than just storming in and slashing things like crazy. What in the hell has gotten into you?"  
        Michael rounded on him, walking up until he was nearly nose to nose with him. His brown eyes were swirling with anger, his mouth pulled back in an angry grimace as he glared at Ryan.  
        "You said they're young vampires, and we can still kill them in conventional ways, so there's no reason to  _waste_  so much time on them; we have a soldier to return and an army to raise against my uncle, and this village has practically nothing in terms of armaments and foot soldiers. We've got a long ways to go still, and it's been nearly 6 years since my uncle took over. You said it'd be fitting to try and retake the kingdom on my 21st birthday?  _We're running out of fucking time, Ryan._  Less than a year remains until then, and we're only just now getting an actual starting point beyond our initial crew. Killing 12 leeches shouldn't take longer than a few minutes with just us, let alone with the back up we're going to be getting from the village. So let's. Fucking. Go."  
        Ryan watched, his jaw set to keep from falling open in shock, as Michael turned and marched in the direction of the cave, Gavin trailing behind him to make sure he stayed going in the right direction. Jeremy came up and stood next to Ryan, putting his hand on the taller man's shoulder and making him look at him.  
        "This should be interesting," the young wizard said, offering a slight smile. Ryan just sighed and agreed, the rest of the crew following in Michael's footsteps as they made their way to the cave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to TRY and hold up a schedule this time, but only once a week this time for sure; anything beyond that is a nice little bonus (and hopefully makes up for the 2 months of complete inactivity).  
> Every Wednesday before midnight EST is the deadline, but I'll try and put it up around 8pm if I'm able.


End file.
